Government Motors

[McDuck]

while its workers in the United States face plant closures and wage and benefit cuts -- not only in California, but in non-union plants in Kentucky, West Virginia, Canada and elsewhere.​

It’s high time that our elected representatives start dealing with unfair trade issues. Our goal is simple: If you sell vehicles locally, they should be built locally by workers making decent wages and benefits.

​

Will you sign our petition to President Obama and Congress asking them to investigate and support ways to keep the NUMMI plant open?

​

That sounds like an urban legend being pushes by union thugs.

 

[James48843]

from http://www.unionvoice.com today:


Toyota takes tons of "Cash for Clunkers" money, then decides to close U.S. plant-

Toyota Motor Corp., which exports millions of vehicles to the United States, is considering closing the last remaining West Coast auto assembly plant in Fremont, Calif., the very state where it sells a huge percentage of its vehicles.

Meanwhile Toyota is ramping up production in Japan, upgrading 900 temporary workers to permanent status while its workers in the United States face plant closures and wage and benefit cuts -- not only in California, but in non-union plants in Kentucky, West Virginia, Canada and elsewhere.​

It’s high time that our elected representatives start dealing with unfair trade issues. Our goal is simple: If you sell vehicles locally, they should be built locally by workers making decent wages and benefits.

​

Will you sign our petition to President Obama and Congress asking them to investigate and support ways to keep the NUMMI plant open?


Sign on-line petition here:

​

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/nummi

 

[OBGibby]

Seems like the program had good intentions but looks like it's going to turn out to be a waste of money. From what I understand, to get the rebate you having to trade in car getting 18mpg or less. I would think most cars on the road today get better gas mileage than that. Even the older cars that get 18mpg or less are probably being driven by folks not exactly ready or able to pay a monthly car payment on a new car, rebate notwithstanding. And the more expensive cars that get less than 18mpg - the folks that drive those types of luxury cars probably don't really care about the rebate. All that being said, how many people are really going to benefit from this? Is it worth the US government getting involved? I don't think so. Just my two cents, your mileage may vary.

 

[James48843]

CARS Back on the Road

The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS) is still operating.
Consumers can still take advantage of the government program and receive a $3,500 or $4,500 discount for their trade-in vehicle when purchasing or leasing a new vehicle.
Check back often to this site for updates and information.


http://www.cars.gov

 

[James48843]

Cash for Clunkers stimulus supplemental passes the House. It would mean another 2 billion for this program- shifted money from existing stimulus bills into the cash for clunkers program.

How did YOUR representative vote?

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll682.xml

Now that it's passed the house- it moves on to the Senate next week. Car dealers are hoping it will pass, because the program started Monday this week, and has been widely successful at generating car dealer floor traffic. So successful, that it may have already consumed the money originally thought that it would last until November, in just a few days.

 

[Minnow]

hmmm... i guess it's ok to keep the printing presses going when it comes to the big guys... but when it comes to giving the common folk a little break, that spigot has to be turned off? -- it was a bad idea in the first place but a pretty clear litmus test as to where the government's loyalties really lie, eh?

 

[James48843]

Well, it's official.

"Cash for Clunkers' is being suspended effective midnight tonight.

It was SOOO successful, that they are afraid they are going to run out of money for the program that was supposed to last till November. Instead, it lasted 4 days, and now is being suspended, after a dramatic success in clearing out car lots.

Here is the news story tonight on the wires:

-----------------------------------------

AP sources: Govt to suspend 'cash for clunkers'

AP sources: Government to suspend 'cash for clunkers' program out of funding concerns

• By Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer
• On Thursday July 30, 2009, 8:33 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government plans to suspend its popular "cash for clunkers" program amid concerns it could quickly use up the $1 billion in rebates for new car purchases, congressional officials said Thursday.

The Transportation Department called lawmakers' offices to alert them to the decision to suspend the program at midnight Thursday. The program offers owners of old cars and trucks $3,500 or $4,500 toward a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle.
The congressional officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Rae Tyson, a spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which administers the program, declined comment.
Congress last month approved the Car Allowance Rebate System program, known as CARS, to boost auto sales and remove some inefficient cars and trucks from the roads. The program kicked off last Friday and was heavily publicized by car companies and auto dealers.

Through late Wednesday, 22,782 vehicles had been purchased through the program and nearly $96 million had been spent. But dealers raised concerns about large backlogs in the processing of the deals in the government system, prompting the suspension.

A survey of 2,000 dealers by the National Automobile Dealers Association found about 25,000 deals had not yet approved by NHTSA, or nearly 13 trades per store. It raised concerns that with about 23,000 dealers taking part in the program, auto dealers may already have surpassed the 250,000 avehicle sales funded by the $1 billion program.

"There's a significant backlog of 'cash for clunkers' deals that make us question how much funding is still available in the program," said Bailey Wood, a spokesman for the dealers association.

Even before the suspension, some in Congress were seeking more money for the auto sales stimulus. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., wrote in a letter to House leaders on Wednesday requesting additional funding for the program.

"This is simply the most stimulative $1 billion the federal government has spent during the entire economic downturn," Miller said Thursday. "The federal government must come up with more money, immediately, to keep this program going."

Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said they would work with "the congressional sponsors and the administration to quickly review the results of the initiative."

General Motors Co. spokesman Greg Martin said Thursday the automaker hopes "there's a will and way to keep the CARS program going a little bit longer."


Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AP-so...7.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

 

[James48843]

Well, it's official now.

Here is the official website of government motors:

http://www.cars.gov

You can go there to get information on how to buy your next car using the new Cash for Clunkers credits.